Cities and creativity

Last weekend's Financial Times is full of snippets of wisdom, as well as Tyler Brule's regular column, which focused on whether or not London can remain a capital of creativity, especially in the face of the meltdown of a number of financial companies. See "Capital gains and urban misses."

His column contrasts the beliefs of former mayor Ken Livingstone and former mayor of Bogota, Enrique Peñalosa.

From the article:

At a series of Financial Times talks at the London Design Festival and at a mini-summit for my magazine Monocle, I asked leaders and urban strategists about the role London has to play as not only a financial capital but also as a centre for creativity. ...

The key headlines from Livingstone were that London was well positioned to keep its current position as a centre for finance and innovation but it was going to have to fight hard. This was hardly news.

When I asked him whether the city should be doing more to encourage a more rounded creative community (for example, not just having design studios and headquarters for advertising agencies but also ateliers and light industry to support this sector), I was informed that these days were gone and that he didn’t really see these types of businesses having a place in London. Some in the audience nodded in agreement while others screwed up their noses and made gestures that suggested they disagreed.

I left the venue feeling somewhat deflated by Livingstone’s comments and then was overtaken by a mood that was a mix of irritation and depression. ... At a session on Tuesday devoted to the future of cities and London in particular, I chatted to Peñalosa, the urban planner Alejandro Gutierrez of Arup, and the author Alain de Botton.

Their views were a bit more rosy than Livingstone’s, with Peñalosa a strong believer in cities as a place where things happen and are made, across a broad spectrum of fields and areas of specialisation. De Botton supported this view by stating that the process of design and construction were linked and were essential elements for a vibrant city. ...

Come question time, however, the audience was more interested in Peñalosa’s damning views on malls and what the soon to open Westfield Centre in London’s Shepherd’s Bush meant for the city. On record for suggesting that malls are a strong indication that a city is sick, Peñalosa didn’t back down from his previous comments and at one moment challenged both me and the audience members as to why such a project had been allowed to go ahead. “You mean we’re talking about a big, boring, flat-roofed mall? The kind you’d find almost anywhere? Here in London?” ...

In short, London doesn’t need any more malls but should focus on the strengths of its public places, bring creativity and craft back to the heart of the city, create even more bike lanes and places to walk. It should also pay attention to the romance and optimism offered by outstanding terminals – be they rail, marine or aviation focused.